A Tale of Two Sisters
by Iliana11
Summary: What should be a normal morning after a ball suddenly turns into a massive headache when Eleanor realizes that her stepsister Cordelia has switched places with her–and the Prince is coming to court her. Now Eleanor must do whatever it takes to convince Cordelia to switch them back before it's too late, and the Prince marries the wrong girl. Written for the ACA Ficathon 2013.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is written for InChrist-Billios, whose prompt for me was, "Tell a classic fairy tale, using most of the main plot points of the original tale, but include a body swap in some fashion." Here it is! As a side note, this story is largely in need of a beta reader, or someone to help badger me into writing more. Unless, of course, I have incredible reviewers...**

**Review away! Reviews will be rewarded with cookies. **

* * *

Everything was downright shocking. I had woken up the morning after the ball to find that my younger stepsister, Cordelia, had somehow managed to switch places with me. As in, I was in her body, she was in mine.

As if that wasn't enough of a shock to wake up in someone else's body, I soon discovered the reason _why _Cordelia had done so: the Prince was in love with me.

We gathered around in the sitting room, stepmother on one side of the plush red chair, Cordelia and I standing on the other. Prince Jonathan in all his excitement couldn't stop grinning. He rubbed his hands together impatiently.

It was my turn first. I knew the shoe belonged to me. I had worn it last night when things seemed so…hopeful. But I knew the shoe wouldn't fit, since I was in Cordelia's body. Her feet were much smaller than mine, and there was no way I could fake having the same size feet.

Cordelia (in my body, remember) sat down in the chair. The shoe fit. Of course it did.

"You have the wrong girl!" I wanted to yell. But I didn't. No one would believe me. I was in the body of the stepsister, the obviously jealous one, the bully, the lesser of the two.

Prince Jonathan took Cordelia's hand. "My dear lady, it would honor me greatly if you would allow me to court you."

I sighed in relief, half expecting him to have proposed to her right away. Courtship would have to suffice for now.

Cordelia giggled in delight, a childish grin on her face. "My dear Prince, it would be my honor." She shot me a quick look of victory.

I had so many emotions burning in me all at once, I may have missed a piece of conversation. I was feeling angry, despaired, and rejected all at once.

"Wait!" I heard the word come out of my mouth before I had even known that I had interrupted the prince from taking Cordelia with him to the castle.

"Yes, m'lady?" asked the Prince.

I stood there, mouth agape. "I mean, you're taking my dear stepsister away from us to an unfamiliar place to be courted by a Prince," I began.

The Prince stared at me for a second, unsure if he should be offended by this statement. "Go on."

"I mean no offence at this, of course, but I'm only wondering if she should have a chaperone. That is, I would like to chaperone her, assist her in all that she does in the palace during her courtship." Everyone in the room stared at me. Cordelia, with vengeance in her eyes, my stepmother with pride, and the Prince and his servant with confusion. "I do not mean to intrude, but I do long to support my sister. Do I have your permission, Your Highness?" I curtsied before him.

The Prince thought for a moment. The room was as silent as a snowy winter day, muffled from all other thoughts and sounds. My heart seemed to suspend itself from beating.

"You have my permission. With this, I will leave you ladies to prepare yourselves. A carriage will arrive for you at five this evening. Good day, and thank you," he said with a short bow.

My stepmother pulled me aside, smiling. "That was a bold move there, Cordelia. I'm proud of you. There may be hope for you yet. Bring me home a prince!" With that, she left, glaring at Cordelia.

Cordelia stood away from me, not speaking.

"Cordelia…"

"Why did you have to mess everything up by saying that?" She turned her head toward me but still refused to look me in the eye.

"Cordelia, he was here for me, not you. I don't know why we've switched places, but let's make the best of it while it lasts." I put my hand on her shoulder.

Cordelia shrugged it off to face me. "Don't you get it? I did this. I cast the spell to switch us. I want to get out of this house just as much as you do! You think the Prince fell in love with you for your personality? Your wit? Your tragic life? You poor little damsel. I almost feel sorry for you."

"Look, Cordelia, it may not exactly be wise to keep this going. This spell can't last forever."

"I'll make it last."

With that, Cordelia left. She had to pack, of course. Then again, she was packing as me, and I only had a few old dresses and a pair of shoes to call my own. It wouldn't take her long to prepare to leave. I, on the other hand, had much work to do, now that all of Cordelia's belongings were technically my own.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: My best friend and her boyfriend may or may not have sort of accidentally become a muse for this story...oops. Anyway, here's the second chapter. As always, a review would be lovely! (Also, if anyone would love to volunteer as a beta reader...please do.)**

* * *

It wasn't until we were finally in the carriage that everything finally hit me. Prince Jonathan kept staring at Cordelia. A look that should have been saved for me. Well, he thought he was giving me that look, that gaze of excitement and longing. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore everything. I couldn't help but feel jealous. Angry. And yet if I acted out, my actions would impact both Cordelia and myself. Because for all anyone knew, the Prince was courting me.

"It will be wonderful having you around the palace. You and your sister will be staying in the Upper Quarters. The courtiers there should be amiable. You will both have a personal attendant to help you," Prince Jonathan explained. He leaned in a little closer to us. "Fair ladies, I know you both brought personal belongings. I am afraid, however, that many of your clothes will be unsuitable for court life. Because I want you two to feel at home in the palace, I've set up separate appointments with the court tailor to dress you properly."

As Prince Jonathan explained this, I realized that he knew the rules of his own court. As he should have, of course, but that had never stopped some princes from being ignorant of their own domain.

"How often will we see you?" I asked. I had meant to keep my mouth shut. It would have been a better question coming from my physical mouth instead.

"A fair question, considering my recent romantic interest in your sister. You shall see me at least three times a week."

"Only three!" protested Cordelia. "But I wanted to see you more!"

The Prince sighed. "I know, I know." He placed his hand on hers. "But do understand that this is my court, and I must know it and work as hard as I can for my people. I will try my hardest to please you, my lady."

Cordelia seemed unsatisfied with this and turned away. I wished she hadn't. It was amazing to see how dedicated Jonathan was. I respected him all the more for it. But Jonathan couldn't see that. He only saw the girl he thought he cared for treating his efforts with contempt.

"You have the wrong girl!" I wanted to shout. But I couldn't do that. None of it would make any sense to anyone else. As with everything else in my life, I'd just have to be patient.

"What shall my sister do in your company?" I asked.

The Prince stared at me, his eyebrows drawing close together over his dark brown eyes. Our eyes met, and he looked away, back at Cordelia, who scooted closer to him.

"We shall tour the castle, dine together, and enjoy the best entertainment my palace has to offer, among other things," he replied. I raised an eyebrow, and Prince Jonathan smirked. "Your sister will be well taken care of, and I shall treat her with the utmost respect, if that is your concern. After a month, if things are going well, our courtship shall continue.

"A month?!" Cordelia asked. She frowned at this unexpected piece of information.

"Yes, a month. My dear, when one is selecting his future bride and queen of Myrisminia, one is allowed to be selective."

I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry or throw up. I had a month to find a way back into my own body and claim the life I so desperately wanted. Was a month even long enough? Did I need the whole month?

"Very well, then. A month," replied Cordelia. "I'm certain things shall go very well."

"Me too, Lady Cordelia."

I wasn't so sure.

Moments later, the carriage pulled up to the main palace entrance. The Royal Guard stood watch with a large number of courtiers as the valet opened the door for the prince, who promptly exited and straightened his shirt. The valet held out his hand to me, and I took a hold of his gloved hand and stepped down onto the cobblestone. Everyone outside watched as my sister then exited the carriage. Cordelia smiled, enjoying this much attention. Whispers fluttered here and there about the two of us, the tall one and the small one.

"Follow me," instructed the Prince. We walked behind him as he swiftly navigated through the crowd that parted at his presence.

We stepped inside the palace and stopped. It was breathtaking. Silvery blue marble covered the floors, and golden trimmings lined the walls. Everything exuded wealth and excess. We were led up the stairs and through a number of hallways before we stopped at our destination. Prince Jonathan opened the mahogany door to a large, lavish room with numerous doorways.

"Lady Eleanor, your room awaits you. Lady Cordelia, your room is next door. I shall send attendants to you shortly to help you get settled in and taken to the tailor. I currently have other matters to attend to, but know that I leave you in good hands. Welcome to your new home," he said. Prince Jonathan gave me a small, respectful bow. He then took Cordelia's hand and gave it a small kiss. I could see Cordelia practically melting as Jonathan walked away.

"Oh, isn't this splendid, Eleanor?" asked Cordelia. "It's everything I've ever wanted." She spun around wistfully.

I looked at her, wondering what was going on in her head. "But can this last? The spell, this ruse, can it last? I'm not sure it can."

Cordelia frowned. "It will. I want it to, so it will. It has to. Now…you should settle into your room. I must leave soon to get fitted into a new dress," she said, hesitating.

I nodded and went to my new room. She still dismissed me as a servant. And maybe that was the most I could hope for, now.

* * *

**Review replies:**

**InChrist-Billios: I'm so glad you like it! Thank you!**

**EVA: Thanks! I wanted to use a smilie there that wasn't cliche. Snow seemed like a good option. :) Hopefully this chapter gives you more insight on Jonathan's character. You'll see him develop more as the story goes on, of course. I actually took a lot of the suggestions of you and Seraph made into account in writing this chapter and developing my character's reactions to one another. Thanks for the review!**

**Seraph: Thanks for your review! I tried slowing it down a little more in this chapter. I actually tried writing the whole shock chapter, but it didn't feel right. I'm still planning on incorporating the shock somehow, though. Never fear! I'm just glad you don't see Cordelia as the villain. :) **

**Ariyah: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it! **


	3. Chapter 3

It was terribly strange, being fitted for a gown in someone else's body. As much as I had initially panicked, I also initially accepted what had happened. I didn't look at myself often, and Cordelia would have to change us back eventually. But Cordelia didn't want to change us back, and now all of sudden I had to get used to this body for who knew how long.

"Arms out," instructed the tailor, a wiry, bespectacled man. "You're very tall for your age. Assuming you really look your age, that is."

"I'm sixteen." Cordelia was sixteen. That was how old this body was. In all actuality, I was a few months short of twenty. From what I understood, the Prince was of a similar age.

"Then yes, you are tall for your age."

I felt uncomfortable in this body. It was taller than my own, with different proportions than my own body. It wasn't necessarily any better or worse. I never thought Cordelia ugly. She and I were simply different. She was tall and had lovely curves, whereas I was of an average height and lacked the proper amount of food that gave Cordelia her stunning curves. In all reality, I thought Cordelia was probably the prettier choice. And yet the Prince had chosen me, against all odds.

"Arms at your side, please." The royal tailor continued to make measurements. He turned to his assistant, a portly, middle-aged woman. "Agatha, what do you think of the color blue for our Lady here?"

"Well, it'd match her eyes quite well," she replied. It should have been green to match my eyes, the same shade as the velvet in the corner. It was strange, being fitted in a body I didn't recognize. Nothing felt right.

"Yes, I agree. She would look good in shades of blue and…rose. Yes, that will do. Thank you, Lady Cordelia. You may go. Your dresses should be finished within a week." The tailor waved his hand at me as he gathered fabric from around the room. "In the meantime, you might want to do something with that wild hair of yours. Your curls are lovely, darling, but they're a bit wild."

My hair was straight. I frowned and showed myself out.

Cordelia's light brown hair was messy, indeed. But it was always that way. Cordelia always tried hard, it was just challenging. The more I thought about it, the more unfamiliar memories piled up. How was that possible?

Somewhere back in my memory, I saw Cordelia trying to fix her hair, crying because it just wasn't doing what it was supposed to. Her mother just stared on in condescension.

"Cordelia, darling, you're never going to find a husband if you can't even do your hair properly. I wish I could say I was proud of you."

As soon as the memory began, it ended. A chill ran down my spine. There were consequences to this switch, consequences I was sure Cordelia hadn't anticipated. I hadn't even anticipated them.

But if I had some of Cordelia's memories, did that mean that she had some of mine? And if Cordelia had started to see things through my eyes, what would that mean for our current situation? I had no idea how to begin to answer that question.

I walked down the marble halls of the palace, rage slowly boiling inside. A small part of me felt bad for Cordelia, after seeing that memory. The other half of me was burning with anger, frustrated that I never could get what I wanted or deserved. Mad at Cordelia for never listening to me.

In my rushing around, I missed a turn, because all of a sudden, I found myself in an unfamiliar part of the castle. I stopped, suddenly feeling frightened. It looked so much like the rest of the palace, but I knew it wasn't where I was originally headed.

"You look lost," said a voice. I turned to find another young woman standing close by.

I blushed and looked down. "Well, I suppose I was a little distracted. Can you help me find my way back to my room?"

The woman looked at me closely. "You're a new member of the Court, aren't you?"

"Yes, I arrived this morning with my stepsister."

She grinned. "Ah! The Prince's new love! Is that her, or is that you?" she asked, a wry smile crossing her lips.

"That would be my sister," I replied bitterly.

The woman must have heard the bitterness in my voice. "Don't worry, sweetheart, there's plenty of good people in this palace. I'm sure you'll find someone. My name's Vera."

"I'm Cordelia." It still felt weird to call myself by my sister's name.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Cordelia. I believe I can help you find your rooms," she said. I followed Lady Vera as we wandered through the palace. We spent several moments in silence before she began to speak. "I take it you've been granted the title of Lady?"

"Yes, that's right. It's a bit strange, having a title for the first time in my life," I answered. It was the truth. Neither Cordelia or I had ever had any sort of title attached to our names. For me, any title I had would be closer to slave than anything else.

"You'll get used to it eventually. Titles are an odd thing, Cordelia. It means that you have a place in Court, but you may not have an important one. Some Lords and Ladies are close to the King and the rest of the Royal Family. Others, not so much. The rest of us have to figure out what to do with ourselves."

"So what do you do as a Lady, then?" I asked Lady Vera.

She chuckled. "Any number of things. My options are nearly unlimited, as a Lady. There are few things that are restricted to me as a member of the Court. I'm not particularly close to the King, though the Prince and I know each other well enough. For some of the Lords and Ladies here, political discourse is air itself. Me, I far prefer my own research as well as recreational activities, such as horseback riding. The stables are beautiful, the horses even more so," she explained. "Most of my days are spent outside, really."

I decided that I liked Lady Vera. She was the most unique person I'd met here. "How did you become a Lady?"

"I was born into my title. Had I been born into a family with less money, it is likely that I would never have become a Lady. There are a few, however, who work their way to the top. It's not a pretty ladder to climb," she replied.

I had a hunch that she had seen some of this for herself. Court was not what I had assumed it was, if Lady Vera's words were anything to go by. I certainly wouldn't be bored here.

We soon reached my rooms, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Lady Vera, for all of your help," I said.

Lady Vera grinned a crooked smile. "You're welcome, Lady Cordelia. Take care of yourself. I'm more than willing to help if you get lost again. Perhaps one of these days I will see you in the stables."

"The stables sound amazing. I shall have to vist sometime. Goodbye, Lady Vera."

"Farewell, Lady Cordelia." With that, Lady Vera curtsied and sauntered down the halls. She was certainly quite a woman, someone who could possibly be a friend. Having a friend in the Royal Court would probably be useful to me someday. For now, though, I would have to content myself with the strangeness of the palace.

* * *

**Ariel- Thanks! :) It'll certainly be an intriguing month!**

**batblover1- Thanks for the review! I really appreciate it! The eye thing is a fascinating idea. So far, there's no magic in the eyes, but you never really know! :)**


End file.
